This work was supported by the European Research Council (ERC Advanced Grant No. 246829), the National Research School Catalysis (NRSC-C), and Marie Curie Actions SCPNANOPart FP7-PEOPLE-2010-IEF-274668 (E.H.). Z. Brdid and T. F. E. Paffen are acknowledged for their help in the synthesis. M. A. J. Gillissen and J. L. J. van Dongen are acknowledged for fruitful discussions.

Keywords:

enzyme mimics;

foldamers;

L-proline;

nanoparticles;

supramolecular chemistry

Give 'em structure: The presence of structuring elements in polymers that were functionalized with catalytic units resulted in a new class of enzyme mimics, which are only active in the folded state (see picture). The conformationally adaptive hydrophobic environment that surrounds the catalytic site allows the very efficient catalysis of an aldol reaction in water with Michaelis–Menten kinetics.